new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Direct patient care worker. new text end

new text begin "Direct patient care worker" means an
individual doing the job of directly providing physical care to patients including nurses
who provide physical care to patients as defined by section 148.171.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Emergency. new text end

new text begin "Emergency" means failure to manually lift the patient would
result in serious injury or death to the patient.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Health care facility. new text end

new text begin "Health care facility" means a hospital as defined in
section 144.50, subdivision 2, a medical facility as defined in section 144.561, subdivision
1, paragraph (b), a nursing home as defined in section 144A.01, subdivision 5, an
outpatient clinic, or a physician's office.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Safe patient handling. new text end

new text begin "Safe patient handling" means a new process,
based on scientific evidence on causes of injuries, that uses safe patient handling
equipment rather than people to transfer, move, and reposition patients in all settings to
reduce workplace injuries. This process also reduces the risk of injury to patients.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Safe patient handling equipment. new text end

new text begin "Safe patient handling equipment"
means engineering controls, lifting and transfer aids, or mechanical assistive devices used
by nurses and direct patient care workers instead of manual lifting to perform the acts of
lifting, transferring, and repositioning health care patients and residents.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Safety officer. new text end

new text begin "Safety officer" means an employee of a health care facility
whose job duties include maintaining the safety of the patients and employees.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Safe patient handling program required. new text end

new text begin By January 1, 2010,
every licensed health care facility in the state shall implement a safe patient handling
program to eliminate manual lifting of patients by nurses and direct patient care workers
through the use of mechanical assistive devices, except during emergency situations as
defined in section 182.6552, subdivision 2. A safe patient handling program shall include:
new text end

new text begin (1) the establishment of a safe patient handling committee as required under
subdivision 2, or assignment of the functions of a safe patient handling committee to an
existing committee as permitted under subdivision 2;
new text end

new text begin (2) a patient handling hazard assessment conducted by the safe patient handling
committee or an existing committee assigned such functions that considers patient
handling tasks, types of nursing units, patient populations, and the physical environment
of patient care areas, and includes the identification of problems and solutions including a
system to report, track, and analyze injury trends;
new text end

new text begin (3) the purchase, use, and maintenance of an adequate supply of appropriate safe
patient handling equipment;
new text end

new text begin (4) initial and periodic compensated training of nurses and direct patient care
workers on safe patient handling and use of safe patient handling equipment;
new text end

new text begin (5) annually conducted evaluations by the committee of the safe patient handling
program as well as new technology, handling procedures, and equipment, and
documentation of the criteria used in the selection and evaluation process; and
new text end

new text begin (6) procedures to ensure that, when architectural plans for construction or remodeling
are made to a facility or unit where patient handling occurs, the plans incorporate safe
patient handling equipment or the physical space and construction design needed to
accommodate safe patient handling equipment at a later date.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Safe patient handling committee. new text end

new text begin (a) By January 1, 2008, every licensed
health care facility in the state shall establish a safe patient handling committee either by
creating a new committee or assigning the functions of a safe patient handling committee
to an existing committee.
new text end

new text begin (b) Membership of a safe patient handling committee or an existing committee must
meet the following requirements:
new text end

new text begin (1) at least half the members shall be nonmanagerial nurses and direct patient care
workers;
new text end

new text begin (2) in a health care facility where nurses and direct patient care workers are
represented by a collective bargaining agreement, the union shall select the committee
members proportionate to its representation of those members; and
new text end

new text begin (3) the remaining members shall have experience, expertise, or responsibility
relevant to the operation of a safe patient handling program, including the facility's
safety officer.
new text end

new text begin (c) A health care organization with more than one covered health care facility shall
have a committee at each facility and include a safety officer on each committee.
new text end

new text begin (d) Employees who serve on the safe patient handling committee will be
compensated for all hours.
new text end